The sacrifice
by Vickie-4-Books
Summary: Jess is a stranger to this country and the last thing she thought would happen was the dead would come back to life. when she is rescued by a group of survivors she begins to trust again. Based on the Walking dead Tv series. Just a little fun.
1. Chapter 1

I am startled awake by a familiar rumbling sound. My weary eyes snap open and I quickly shuffle out of my dirty pile of blankets and crawl to the window. _Oh my god it is, a motor bike! _I squint in the early morning sun as I watch the bike drive slowly and loudly through the street. The rider is clad in jeans and poncho. I duck when his head swivels towards me scanning the streets. I peek carefully as he moves further down the street. He stops at the bottom and turns back around and revs the engine unnecessarily and speeds off down the road and I curse him for making so much damn noise. It is bound to attract one of the dead. I get up and check my door is firmly locked and I settle back down in the blankets cold and angry.

_Stupid fool driving around in his big stupid bike making so much damn noise. I haven't seen dead person for days now and he has gone and alerted whatever is nearby. Idiot, this is why I left those other fools, for being careless. I hate this damn country! That's what I get for wanting an adventure I suppose. The end of the world and the fight for survival, the biggest adventure ever. _

Now I am here alone in a strange country with nothing but my thoughts and my trusty baseball bats to keep me company. I close my eyes again and listen to the now deafening silence and sigh. _What I would give for a cup of tea, a warm bed and to see my family again._ I pull the blankets up around my chin and let my mind drift.

* * *

**"Jessie are you sure you want to do this?" My sister Chloe asked as I walked into terminal two at Heathrow airport. I spin around and look at her and smile.**

**"I have the tickets Chloe, my bags are packed and I am here. No point turning back now." I said happily looking up at the departure boards. "Atlanta here I come." Chloe steps up beside me and she sighs.**

**"You know you don't have to prove anything?" She said and I stare at her speechless. "Gary was just being cruel." She said still staring up at the board.**

**"That's not why I ..."**

**"Just, please don't do anything stupid and be careful." She said interrupting what would have been a lie from me.**

**"I will. I will keep you and dad informed with what I am doing." I said and she nodded. She smiled and pulled me into a hug.**

**"Just do whatever you have to do and come back to us ok?" She said her voice tight. **

**"Yeah of course. Don't worry about me it is only two months I will be just fine." I said and she smiled at me. I waved at her and watched as she made her way back to her car. That was the last I seen of my sister, six months two weeks and four days ago.**

* * *

A quite groan makes my eyes open again and I feel my heart skip a beat. I have frozen on the spot and I hear it again, another desperate moan coming from outside my window. I move my stiff body towards the window and peer out and my blood runs cold. They are everywhere. The dead are aimlessly waking through the town and I watch as the peer into the abandoned cars and limp over debris. I look over to the wall and count seventeen scratches on the wall. Seventeen, that is how many days I have gone without seeing a dead and now there are twenty plus of them out there. I angrily scratch out my marks with my knife and double check my door is closed. I stand back at the window and watch throughout the night as the dead wander through the street and I silently curse that damn rider.

Dawn breaks and I watch as the sun rises up over the houses. I am hungry and I know today I will have to go out and look for some more food, my supplies are running low. I decide to have a quick sleep before I head out, going out when tired is not a good idea. I always sleep through the day as the dead don't seem as scary but at night well they are a lot sneakier and downright terrifying. I check my door again knowing full well it is locked and secure and I curl up in my corner and close my eyes.

I dream of driving, driving while listening to loud music and singing terribly along. I am happy in my dream; I feel free and care free. Like I was during my trip before the outbreak. I watch as other cars drive around me and I hear then the low rumbling as the get nearer to me. It gets louder and louder and I start to panic, my hands start to shake on the wheel and I jump awake when the noise becomes deafening. I snatch up my knife and one of my bats and rush to the window. I am startled by what I see as I peer between the ratty curtains. The bike man is back and he has brought a car full of friends. I stare at the small group there are two men a woman and to my horror and shock a young boy and he is carrying what unmistakably a gun. I stare at the group transfixed and watch as the other man talk to the group quietly. He points to each of them in turn and he and the young boy head off in the direction of the grocery store. _There is nothing in there pal. _ I think sadly to myself having searched high and low in there for supplies, this little town was pretty well raided before I got here. The biker and the tall African american woman, who is wielding an impressive looking samurai, walk away on their own. I watch as they disappear along the street I stay stood at the window watching and waiting for them to reappear and I am relieved when I see the man and the boy come out of the store. They are carrying boxes and I squint to try and see what they have got but I cannot quite make it out. The woman reappears carrying blankets and some clothes and she tosses them in the car and walks towards another house. I hear a creak outside my room and I spin around. Someone is outside or something. I hold my breath trying not to make a sound and I hear a soft thud then a heavy one. Then the definite sound of footfalls and I lift my bat up as I see a shadow outside my door. The handle rattles and I hear a grunt from behind the door and I swallow hard even though my mouth is completely dry. Square my shoulders and I take a deep breath ready to fight for my life. I grip by bat and there is a loud bang and I feel a white hot searing pain in my arm and it drops.

"Damn it!" I groan and I reach round and cup my arm and pull my hand back instantly when I feel something hot and sticky. I look down at my hand and it is covered in blood. The pain intensifies and I spin around and look out of the window where my curtain has fallen down and I see the boy staring up at me with his gun raised and I realise, he just shot me!

"Stop Carl!" The man shouts and he looks up at me and his eyes widen as he pushes the boys gun down. There is a crash behind me and I spin back around and the door swings open and poncho man stumbles through holding up a cross bow.

"Who're you?" He asks and I stare at him and I open my eyes to answer but as I do my world goes black and I fall to the floor.

* * *

"Who is she Daryl?" A soft female voice says and my head spins and my arm aches. I feel strong arms cradling my body and I hear a moan and I panic for half a second before I realise it is me.

"I dunno do I." Says a heavily accented voice. "She was in that room, she had locked herself in there."

"I thought she was a walker." Comes a panicked voice who must be the young boy.

"It's ok Carl, you only got her arm." I drift away back into unconsciousness.

* * *

I am shook awake and I groan as pain shoots through my arm again. I grab at it and I feel a soft bandage on it. I open my eyes and I blink several times confused about what I am looking at. It looks like a car roof. I stare at it and I realise I am moving. My heart starts to race I try to sit up but pain shoots through my arm and I moan.

"Stay still you are still bleeding." Comes a soft reassuring male voice. I look around and realise I am on the back seat of a car and I scrabble up until I am pressed against the car door. "Hey now, calm down we are not going to hurt you." The man says and I look around trying to reach for the door handle. I glance as the fast moving trees outside and weigh up my options of throwing myself out of the car when my hand tugs on the handle it doesn't open. "Child locks." The man says with a little smile. I am breathing heavily and I am trying desperately to ignore the pain in my arm.

"Who..." I try to speak but the lack of use has made my voice hoarse, I clear my throat. "Who are you people?" I say sounding more like myself.

"We could ask you the same." The sword woman says from the driver's seat.

"It's ok Michonne," the man says his eyes not leaving my wide terrified ones, "My name is Rick, this is Michonne and that," he points behind me to the young boy wearing the hat, "that is my son Carl." He says and I stare at the boy and he looks at me with cold un-trusting eyes and it alarms me to see a child look like that.

"Your son?" I ask turning away from the boy and back to Rick.

"Yes my son." He says smiling. "I have to apologise for him, he thought you were a walker." He says pointing to my bandaged arm. I look down at it and then back to him.

"A walker?" I ask and Rick nods.

"It is what we call the infected." He explains and I nod and sit up a little straighter.

"I just call them the dead." I say without thinking and he smiles.

"You are not from around here are you?" He asks with a little smile and I frown.

"No." I answer and he nods.

"Haven't heard your accent much around these parts." He says and I shrug. He smiles and turns fully around in his seat. "Let me guess, you British?" He asks and I just stare at him. I have no interest in these people and no interest in them finding out about me. "Ok so you are," he says looking pleased with himself, I frown and he smiles, "So you are not English you are either Irish or Scottish... Ah Scottish." He says with a big smile and I frown at him.

"How..." I begin but he cuts me off.

"I was a cop. I am good at getting information out of people who don't wanna talk." He says proudly. I look him over; apart from the obvious signs of roughing it he does look like a cop. The sort of proud look and he looks like you would want to mess with him, he looks friendly enough now but I can imagine him getting angry and pretty scary. "So are you going to tell us about yourself?" He asks hopefully and I stare at him. I notice the woman Michonne shoot me a look in the rear view mirror and I look away.

"Why did you take me?" I ask not willing to talk yet.

"You were shot." Rick says simply.

"You should have just left me!" I retort angrily.

"You would have died." Rick says and I frown.

"What do you care? Are we not already dead? Why not just let it happen better that than become one of them!" I say angrily and he stares at me.

"We couldn't just leave you. It was our fault you were injured."

"Yeah giving a little boy a gun, great parenting!" I say and I see anger shoot across Ricks features and he takes a deep breath.

"I am not a little boy!" Carl says angrily and I ignore him. Rick gives me a tight smile.

"Look, I am sorry about what happened. We couldn't just leave you. Let us just get you patched up and we can take you back ok?" He says his voice sounding tight.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask looking out of the windows.

"To prison." Rick says trying to hide a smile. I scoff and the smile vanishes.

"You're serious?" I ask and he just turns around and I catching him smiling to himself. I look at Carl who just ignores me and sorts through some of the clothes.

* * *

_He was serious! _ I am startled when we start to drive slowly towards a huge grey building. I look out of the front window and I see the man on the bike ahead of us and we pull up behind him as he slows down. The sound of the bike ringing through the car. I watch as we near a set of huge gates. I spot quite a few dead as we move towards the gates. I see two other people at the gates and they start to pull the gates open while a small group of people are shouting and calling the dead's attention to then away from the gate. I watch as they spear them through the head with knifes or long poles. And the dead fall to the ground in a heap. We pass through the gates and one of the people, another woman with short dark hair looks in the window at me and she frowns. I lower my gaze and I hear the gates sliding to a close. The car pulls into a court yard and I feel my heart start to beat faster as people start to gather around the car. The boot is opened and Carl jumps out and a young girl with blonde hair ducks down to grab a box and jumps when she sees me.

"Who's that?" She says loudly and the group close in further and start to peer in the window. Rick gets out of the car muttering to himself.

"Alright everyone back up, give her some space." He says and he opens my door and I move away. "Come on, it is ok." He says looking into the car. I feel myself shaking and despite myself I take his pre-offered hand and he helps me out of the car and stands by my side as I steady myself on my trembling legs.

"She is bleeding Rick! Has she been bitten?" One woman, with short buzzed grey hair, says with a panicked look.

"Ya think we'd have brung her here if she was?" Biker man says gruffly as he walks over to us. I blink at him and he stares at me with a frown.

"I shot her." Carl says looking mighty pleased with himself. The blonde girl looks at him with wide shocked eyes.

"Carl!" She says in a breathy shocked tone. He goes red and his smug expression vanishes and he looks a little embarrassed.

"Well I thought she was a walker, I was aiming for the head." He says as if being shot in the arm was some sort of constellation. The girl huffs clearly angrily clearly thinking the same as me and storms off. Rick stares at his son but says nothing about his frankly disturbing behaviour.

"Hey Rick what the hell is this?" An angry voice says from behind us. I turn and see the gate openers heading towards us, guns in hand. I swallow nervously and Rick gives my arm a light squeeze.

"Who the hell is that?" The girl from the gate says eyeing me suspiciously.

"Maggie, Glenn this is..." He stops and looks at me and smiles, "... well she hasn't said yet." He says and I stare around the group. There are all types of people here I can see men and women of all ages looking at me with suspicion.

"Rick she is bleeding." The man called Glenn says pointing to my arm.

"She was shot." Carol says and Glen looks at her then back at me.

"Where did you find her?" He asks talking about me like I wasn't there I frown at him and he just looks away.

"She was hauled up above the drug store Daryl found yesterday." Rick says and I look around to the biker man, Daryl, who is looking at me scratching his chin. I stare at him with what I hope is hatred, hatred for disturbing my quiet little street and getting me shot. He just stares back unfazed by my look and arches an eyebrow at me. I glare at him and then turn away. I look behind him and see an old man hobbling towards us on a set of wooden crutches.

"What's all the commotion?" He says and people move to the side to let him through. I watch as he slowly makes his way towards us. He eyes me quickly and then turns to Rick.

"Hershel. We have a guest, she has been shot. I was hoping you could patch her up." He says and the old man looks at my arm and nods.

"Follow me." He says turning around and rick pulls me along behind the old man. I glance down at his leg and i realise he is missing his right foot. My eyes widen and I look away not wanting to be caught staring.

"Get back to work you lot." Rick says over his shoulder and the crowd moves away in two's or three's all apart from Daryl who follows us keeping close behind us. I see the Carol woman look at me and I look away and focus on moving my heavy legs. We make our way through the courtyard to a metal caged stare case that leads into the dark interior of the prison. Rick lets me go to open the door for Hershel and I feel a hand on my shoulder urging me in behind him.

"Keep it movin'." Daryl says and I huff. I follow Hershel and Rick into what looks like the prisons food hall and I look around and spot shelved full of sacks flour and crates of cans.

"You hungry?" Rick asks and I try to ignore the rumbling of my stomach. "We will get you cleaned up then get you something to eat." He says without waiting for my answer. My stomach groans loudly at the thought of eating anything other than crackers. Rick opens up a barred door with a huge set of keys and opens the door to a room full of cells. I freeze and back into Daryl, "Hey, look where yer goin." Daryl grunts and I step to the side and look around with wide panicked eyes.

"Hey don't worry this is where we live," Rick says gesturing around and I look in the nearest cell and see a little living space with bags and clothes, "you are ok, if we wanted to hurt you we would have done it by now." He says and I frown and glance at my arm making him and Hershel chuckle. "That was not intentional."

"Come on gilry let me patch you up you must be in pain." Hershel says and I look at him.

"Are you a doctor?" I ask startling him and making Daryl look at Rick.

"A vet. So close enough." He says and I huff. I follow Hershel into a cell and he sits me down at a little table and pulls out a little kit and douses his hands in alcohol.

"I am just going to cut this bandage off ok?" He says picking up a pair of scissors. I lift my arm slightly and prop it upon the table and he smiles. "Thank you." He carefully cuts at the bandage and pulls it away. I wince when he pulls it off of the wound and he gives me an apologetic look. "I am sorry. Ok, well it looks like the bullet went in and out." He says looking at the wound. I peer down and see the hole in my ram and my stomach clenches sickeningly. "I will need to clean this wound out or it will become infected." He says and I stare at him.

"How... how are you going to do that?" I ask and he pulls out a big syringe and I feel my eyes widen. "No... no way." I say and he puts his hand on my knee.

"Look. I need to flush it out or you will be sick. So it is either that or days of fever and maybe it might even kill you. It is up to you girl." I stare at him then to the doorway where Rick and Daryl are looking at me.

"Fine!" I huff and Rick smiles.

"Are you ok here Hershel? I have to go and talk to the others they will be talking." He says and Hershel waves him down.

"I am fine. Our friend is going to behave herself aren't you?" He says tapping his hip where I see a gun sitting there. My eyes widen and I look up at him and he smiles. "I won't need to use this will I?" He asks and I shake my head quickly rattling my brain in my head.

"Ok," Rick says and I pats Daryl in the shoulder, "come on Daryl, Hershel has this." He says and Daryl looks at me quickly then at Hershel who nods.

"Go son, we will be just fine." Hershel says as he rummages in his bag for something. Daryl nods quickly once and follows after Rick. "So, what is your name girl?" Hershel says startling me back to him.

"Jess." I say quickly and I snap my mouth shut and he smiles.

"Jess eh? Short for Jessica?" He asks and I stare at him. "Look Jess if you just talk this will go a lot smoother. We are trying to help you. If you don't speak we get nervous and twitchy and people who are nervous and twitchy with guns is not a good thing." I glance back down at his gun and he chuckles. "Guns scare you?" He asks and I look up at him surprised by his question.

"Of course they do! I have just been shot." I say angrily and he nods.

"Fair point, I guess where you are from they are not that popular?" He asks and I shake my head.

"No not really." I say and he nods.

"And you are from?" He asks and I frown at him. "Just curious." He shrugs.

"Scotland, I am from Scotland." I say through my teeth as he begins to clean around my wound.

"So what brought you here?" He asks and I suck in a breath through my teeth as he presses harder on the hole.

"I came for an adventure." I say with sarcasm and he laughs.

"Well you got one." He says and I cannot help but laugh, it may be a cold laugh but it was a laugh none the less. "So you weren't expecting the apocalypse?" He asks with a hint of humour.

"Not exactly." I say with a chuckle and he smiles.

"I don't think any of us were." He says and I nod. He throws the bloody swab in a bag and picks up his syringe and a bottle of water. "This is just a bottle of sterile water and I am going to flush your wound with it ok?" He asks and I nod. He sticks the syringe in the water and sucks up a syringe full. I grip the table hard and as he inserts the tip of the syringe into the hole and I clench me teeth. "Good girl. Now just hold tight this is going to hurt." He pushed the pump and I feel the water rush through my arm and I cannot help but scream.

* * *

_I must have passed out again!_ I think as I come around in a dark room. I realise that I am comfortable and I feel with my hand and feel a mattress, a thin one, but it is a mattress. I open my eyes and I am looking up at the bottom of a bed, I must be in a bunk bed. I lie still as I hear whispered voices outside the room.

"Hershel said she just passed out." A woman's voice says and I slow my breathing so I can hear what is being said.

"Yeah, apparently so. I heard the screamin' and I found her passed out on the floor while Hershel was wrapping her up." Says a voice that must be Daryl, he has a very distinctive voice.

"What are we doing with her?" The woman asks.

"I dunno. Rick says she wants' to go back." Daryl says.

"Back to what? Was she not hauled up in a swarming town?"

"Yep, but she was pretty well hidden. There were walkers in her house and they didn't even know she was there. Or they did and they were just waiting." He says and they fall silent.

"So what then she is going to stay here? We are barely able to feed ourselves." The woman says louder than before. There is silence and I hear someone walking away. I listen for any signs of movement and I jump when Daryl speaks again.

"Are you thirsty?" He asks and I stay still and try and pretend to still be asleep. "I know you are awake. Your breathing has changed." He says and I open my eyes and look over to the door and see him standing there with a cup in his hand and his cross bow over his shoulder. "Hershel says when you wake up to make sure you drink." He says and he squats down by my bed and I move away a little. He ignores my nervous movements and holds out the water and I stare at it with a little frown. "S'not poison." He says and I take it from him and down it quickly my thirst getting the better of me. I gasp as I finish the cup and apart from the water tasting a little stale it tastes amazing. Stale water I can handle.

"Thank you." I say and he takes the cup from me and stands up.

"Just followin' orders." He says as he takes a seat outside of my cell.

"Well thank you anyway." I say and he just nods and picks up a quiver filled with arrows and begins to clean ant blood off them.

I lie back down and watch him as he wipes each of the arrows thoroughly and inspects each of them. His head snaps up and he looks down the hall.

"Is she up?" A voice asks and I sit up again and pull my legs up to my chest ignoring my protesting arm.

"She is."

"She drink the water?" Asks the voice again and as its owner rounds the corner and I see a crutch I relax a little. Hershel peers into the cell and smiles at me. "You hungry Jess?" He asks and I nod he twitches his head to the side, "Well come on then." He says and I uncurl my limbs and scoot out of the bed. I notice I have been changed and I look out to the men standing there and my face flames.

"My clothes!" I say my voice tight with fear.

"Are being washed, your top is ruined but we found you some spare clothes." He says and I stare at him in horror and his eyes widen. "Oh no we got the girls to change you, we are not monsters Jess." He says and I look at the floor feeling bad. "Come on or the food will get cold."

"Cold? You... you have hot food?" I ask excitedly rushing after him.

"Of course." He says and I smell it drift towards me. We enter the food hall and I see a table full of people in the room all eating out of metal canisters. They all look up at me and my hunger ebbs away as I look around the room. Every pair of eyes is on me and I swallow hard.

"Sit." Daryl says from behind me and he pushes me towards the table. I sit down heavily and my arm throbs.

"Here let me tie your arm up." Hershel says sitting next to me and pulling out a piece of worn bandage. He slides it under my arm and around my neck and makes a sling, a terrible sling but it'll do. Rick sits across from me and hands me a canister full of rice and some kind of stew. I looked up at Rick and he hands me a spoon. I take it from him and dig into the dinner. I know everyone is watching me as I eat but I don't care I cannot remember the last time I had a hot dinner and this is just delicious. I burn my mouth a little and I lift my head form the canister and Rick hands me a cup of water. I accept it gratefully and drink it in one.

"So how long had you been in that house?" Hershel asks and I look over at him and lower my spoon.

"About a month." I say and he nods.

"So you have been alone the whole time?" Another asks the short haired woman, Maggie I think, I shake my head.

"No I was with another group but err..." I take a breath and look back at the food, "things happened." I say and I hear a rumble of voices and play with the remaining food in my canister.

"So how long have you been here before the shit hit the fan?" Glen asks. I look up at him and give him and sigh.

"Three weeks. I shouldn't have even been here." I say and he stares at me willing me to go on. I push the food away from in front of me and sigh. "I was supposed to be starting school back home but I decided to have some fun before I started school." I laugh darkly and look around. "Didn't go quite to plan." I say and this raises a few smiles.

"So what now?" Asks the grey-haired woman I look over at her at her place between the young girl and Carl.

"What do you mean?" Rick asks with a frown.

"Well is she staying?" She says with a shrug. Rick turns to me and I look at him.

"Do you want to stay?" He asks and I look down at my arm.

"Well I... my arm..."

"She can stay until she is better. Then we will decide." Hershel says with a tone of finality and Rick smiles at him and nods.

"Doctors orders." He says and gives me a smile. He pushes the food back at me and I pick up my spoon.

"Thank you." I say and Rick nods. "I can go when I am better." I say and he frowns a little but just shrugs.

"We will cross that bridge when we get to it." He says and I nod. I finish off my food and decide what I want to do. I look around the group, they all seem ok but I don't know if I can be part of a group again, it was too much last time. You get attached to people and then they die. I don't know if I can do that again. I listen as everyone chats around me and I work out they do shifts for keeping a look out and that the women and the young girl tend to deal with the food and washing while the men do maintenance where it is needed. _How medieval_. I start to feel drowsy and my head starts to feel heavy. Someone chuckles and I turn and look into the blue eyes of Daryl.

"You tired?" He asks and I stiffen my back to try and keep upright. He shakes his head and stands up. "Come on I will take you to your cell." He says and I get shakily to my feet. He waits for me at the door and I turn to the table.

"Thank you for the food and for the arm." I say and Rick and Hershel nod.

"It's ok Jess just go and rest." Rick says and I give him a little smile and walk towards Daryl who steps aside for me to get through the door. I walk back to my cell and sit down on the bed.

"I'll be right outside." He says and I nod.

"I had absolutely no intention of trying to escape. This is a prison after all." I say and he smiles as he sits down.

"Yep." He says and I lie down. I stare up at the top bunk and try to get my arm comfortable. After a few hours of tossing and turning I eventually fall asleep.

* * *

**"Hey, there! Wake up!" I opened my eyes and meet a pair of wide, worried blue ones. I felt my stomach clench and I gagged.**

**"I am gonna be sick!" I said in a rush and I leaned over the bed and threw up on the floor. **

**"Hershel!" Daryl shouted as a fresh wave of heaves over took my body. I shook violently and I felt a hand on my back. There was a rush of footsteps and many feet rushed in front of my cell.**

**"What is going on?" Rick asked and I saw crutches move into my peripheral.**

**"She was shaking and then she started breathin' funny so I woke her and she just blew her load!" Daryl explained and I was helped back onto the bed. Hershel looked down at me and put his hand on my head and I winced at his freezing fingers.**

**"Damn it, she is burning up. She must have a fever." Hershel said and I blacked out.**

I feel like hell. My arm is agony and I feel so cold. It has been days since I last ate and anything they give me comes back up. I have fought them off the last few times they have tried to force water into my mouth as I know it is wasting it. Hershel has tried to calm me but I cannot think straight and I refuse anything else.

"I don't want to be sick again!" I protest as Hershel tries for the twentieth time to give me water.

"Jess you will get worse if you do not drink." He says kindly but I just shake my head and turn it away. He lets out an exasperated sigh and leans back on his chair looking beat. "She needs drugs."

"We don't have any dad." Maggie says looking at him and I stare between them trying to focus on what is going on.

"You should have left me." I say and they look at me. "I am dying anyway." I say as the darkness takes me again.

"… she is not one of us!"

"We can't just let her die!"

"Why not? She said it herself we should have just left her."

"I will not have it. I am not having another person die under my watch."

"Hershel we cannot risk peoples lives on a run like this."

"I am not suggesting that."

"What do you suggest?" There is a pause and I feel a cool cloth being pressed to my head as my teeth chatter loudly in my skull.

"I will go."

"Daryl, you can't…"

"I can do as I damn well please. I will be back as soon as I can. If she you know… then at least we will have something if anyone else gets sick."

"I will come with you."

"I am quicker on my own. I will see if I can get some things for lil asskicker as well."

"Be careful ok, we need you back."

* * *

**I hope this first chapter has we your appetite for some more. I intend to do this story in Jess and Daryl's POV. I am not sure where this is going yet but I like a lot of fans Love Daryl and would love him to find someone. I am enjoying writhing this and hope you all enjoy it as well.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the follows and the love, I am trying this in Daryl's POV. Would love to hear what you think. Enjoy. **

"I can do as I damn well please. I will be back as soon as I can." I say and I look into the room where the girl lies trembling, "If she you know... then at least we will have something if someone else gets sick." Glenn steps forward.

"I will come with you."

"I am quicker on my own. I will see if I can get some things for lil ass kicker as well." I say to Rick who nods.

"Be careful ok, we need you back."

"Sure boss." I say and I leave the group and head up to the platform I am sleeping on and collect my things. I sling my rucksack over my shoulder and as I pick up my cross bow I sigh. "You know you shouldn't creep up on people." I say and I look over my shoulder at Carol.

"You shouldn't go on your own." She says and I shrug.

"Like I said I am faster on my own." I say and she climbs the remaining stairs.

"We need you here Daryl, you are our best fighter." She says and I frown.

"Maybe but I need to do this, she is dying."

"We do not know her." She says and I frown.

"Does that matter?" I ask.

"It does if it gets you killed." She says her voice rising.

"I'm gonna do this, there is nothing you can say that'll stop me." I say and she frowns at me.

"Fine! What has gotten into you?" She asks as I descend the stairs, I turn around at the bottom of them and look at up at her and frown.

"What has gotten into me? What about you? If that was Sophia in there we wouldn't be discussing this." I say and I regret it as soon as it has escaped my dumb mouth.

"That is not fair!"

"Neither is that girl suffering! I'm goin'" I say and I turn and see Maggie and Hershel staring at me with shocked looks. "What?" I snap and Maggie looks way and I storm away knowing full well I have going to have to apologise for that one. I crash through the door into the courtyard and Glenn is standing holding my bike for me.

"Thanks man." I say and he nods as he hands me the bike.

"It's fine, hey Daryl are you sure you want to do this?" He asks and I glare at him.

"What the hell is wrong with you people?" I grumble as I swing my leg over the bike, he just shrugs at me. "We used to take in anyone now what we just leave then to be walker food? Ya'll better get yer priorities in check man." I say and I kick the bike into life and rev it drowning out his reply. I pull away and I roll down to the gates where Rick and Carl are waiting for me. They slide open the gates and I knock Carls hat off his head making him growl at me. I smile at him and nod at Rick as I rev and take off flying out of the gates and down the asphalt. I love this, the open roads and the roar of the bikes engine. I watch as trees fly past me and slow occasionally to stick a walker or two before speeding off again, _the fewer of those ugly bastards the better._

* * *

I find a large group of gridlocked cars headed up by a pretty big crash further up the road. I make my way along then and peer in trunks and glove compartments for anything and sort of medicine and all I come up with is a few little bottles with a few aspirin in them, some cough syrup and an inhaler. I bag then never knowing if we might need them. I know that is not what I need right now so I carry on and drive past the collision and finds a walker trying to reach me even though it is still fastened in the car.

"Fucking idiot." I say as I speed past it and head towards the nearest town.

The closest town is only a few hours away and when I get there I cut the engine and climb off the bike pulling my crossbow around and hold it up in front of me. I take down two walkers before I have taken four steps. As I pull my arrow free from one of their skulls I spot a small drug store and make a beeline for it. I step through the smashed window and take down another walker. The place looks pretty cleaned out but I still walk up and down the aisles and stop at the virtually untouched baby section. There are a few cans of formula and a tray of baby food which I stuff into my bag. I smile when I round the corner and find a pile of condom boxes on the floor. I pick them up and stuff them into my bag.

"That'll shut Glenn up for a while." I say to myself making myself laugh. I proceed around the counter to the back where all the medication is kept and the laugh gets stuck in my throat when I see it has, like I feared, been ransacked. I look through the drawers anyway and I sigh. I look down at the floor and snatch up a box and read it, penicillin.

"Fuck!" I say throwing the box back onto the floor and trampling it as I head back out.

* * *

The second and third towns are just as useless only turning up a few boxes of antacids and some bandages, so when I reach the fourth town on the third day of my trip my sprits are low. I don't have much hope in the girl still being alive but I cannot give up. _Even if she is gone we still need these things_, so I push on.

This town is far more crowded than the last two and I will have to be a little stealthier. So as I am crouched down rubbing a freshly killed Walker juice on my arms and clothes I just cannot help thinking that I hope this works. I look up at the sky and am relieved to see a clear sky and I know at very least I don't have to worry about rain washing away my cover.

I stand up slowly and turn the corner and walk into the path of three walkers. They look at me and I tense ready to attack when they look away again and continue walking. I let out a beep breath I hadn't realised I was holding and I walk as slowly as I dare towards the drug store. When I reach it I shoulder the door open and crouch down behind a set of shelves and gather myself. I spotted three walkers in here. _They have to go._ I stand up and creep in behind the first one and plunge my knife into its skull and it falls to the floor with a grunt. The others don't notice or they just don't care so I creep behind then and dispose of them as well. I vault the counter and start to rifle through the drawers.

"Jackpot!" I hiss as I pull out a drawer and find a small but none the less amazing stash of penicillin. I pour the contents into my now bulging bag and fling it over my shoulder. I walk back to the front of the store with a big goofy fucking smile on my face and I stop before I step into the street. I sniff myself and shake my head as my dinner threatens to make a reappearance. I shoulder open the door again my hand tightly gripping my knife and I walk, slightly faster, back to the bike. I start getting noticed as I walk unable to slow myself. _If she aint dead she will be soon, k_eeps running through me head and I end up sprinting the rest of the way. I reach the bike as the Walkers start following me and groaning, I jump on and kick it to life and don't hang around to see how close they got to me.

* * *

I have been on this damn bike now for almost a whole day, I never though I would ever get tired of riding this thing. How wrong I was.

As I drive down the familiar road towards the prison relief floods through me, and when I spot the ugly grey building I smile. I cannot wait to get off this damn bike. I have only stopped once to wash the stinking Walker guts off myself and catch a little something to eat. Apart from that I have bean straddling this bike and my legs and ass hurt. I near the gates and I see Maggie and Glenn rushing towards them and they pull them open just enough for me to squeeze in. I nod at them as I pass and I drive right up to the steps that lead into the building. I turn it off and stiffly swing my leg off and toe the stand down rest the bike and leave it. I climb the stairs as fast as my legs will carry me and hit into Michonne as she comes through the door.

"How'd it go?" She asks and I rattle my bag and she nods. "Well done." She says and she steps around me.

"How is she? Is she…" I blurt out as she descends the stairs.

"She is still here. Just." She says as she walks off. I rush through the door._ Always straight to the point, no pussy footing around._ I like that about Michonne. I fly through the mess hall nodding quickly to the welcome homes and I practically skid to a halt outside the cell. Hershel and Carol are around the bed and they both spin around at the sounds of my sliding shoes.

"You're back!" Carol says springing up from her chair.

"Yeah, how is she?" I ask handing Hershel my bag. He digs into the back and pulls out a box of antibiotics looking at me proudly.

"Good job son." He says but I hardly hear him. My eyes are on the girl in the cot. Her face is pale, waxy and a little sunken. I hear her raspy laboured breathing and I frown, _I'm too late! _ I run my hand through my hair and sigh.

"Is she dying?" I ask and Hershel looks at me grimly.

"I think so." He says sadly and I frown. "She hasn't had a drink since you left. We have been able to dribble some in but…" Realization hits me and I turn to Hershel.

"How's she supposed to take the drugs?" I ask interrupting him.

"We are just going to have to hope she is able to swallow it." He says and he proceeds to crush a few tablets and he pours then into a syringe and half fills it with water. He shakes it and makes sure all of the powder is soaked up. "Here goes." He says and he pushes the syringe into her mouth and squirts a little she gags as it hits the back of her throat but then I see her swallowing. Hershel's eyes widen and he smiles. He slowly squirts the rest in and she swallows. "She is a fighter." He says and he looks up at me and smiles. I sit down heavily on Carols chair and she puts her hand on my shoulder and squeezes. I look up at her.

"You should get some rest." She says kindly and I shake my head.

"I'm fine." I say and she frowns.

"At least go and eat," She says and she looks over at the bed and sighs, "She is not going anywhere." She says and I look over at the girl and nod.

"Fine." I say and I get up and walk out and head straight to my perch and sit down. I dig the remainder of the squirrel I caught yesterday and slowly chew on it.

* * *

I wake with a start when a door slams and I curse loudly.

"I'm sorry Daryl." Beth says as she walks over to the bench coddling a grumpy sounding Judith.

"S'ok," I say as I pull myself off the ground groaning a little at my stiff sore legs.

"You ok?" Beth asks looking up at me as I stretch and I nod.

"I'll be fine." I say and she nods and smiles down at Judith who is reaching out for her bottle. "How is she?" I ask as I descend the stairs slowly, _I am gonna be feeling this for days._

"She is perfect." Beth says and I look down at the little bundle and her eyes dart to me and she looks at me as she drinks.

"She's hungry." I say and Beth nods.

"She has been drinking a lot; we had to ration what she was getting but what you brought really helped." She says and I smile happy that I could help the little ass kicker. I stroke her little chubby cheek.

"So where's yer dad?" I ask.

"He is still with Jess." She says and I nod I lean down and kiss her little head before I walk into the cell block. I stand at the doorway for the girl's cell where Hershel is watching over her.

"Sleep well son?" He asks with a little smile turning to face me and I roll my eyes.

"You try riding for twenty hours old man." I say and he chuckles, "So how is she?" I ask and he shrugs.

"Same I think. She hasn't thrown up again and I have given her another dose so I think she is fighting it. Or it could be bad and that her body is just too weak to fight any more. I really don't know." He says scratching his beard and I nod. "I think she is a survivor though." He adds.

"She was hauled up in that house for long enough on her own. I think she is pretty tough." I say in agreement. "How long have you been here?" I ask and he rubs his eyes.

"I really don't know." He says honestly and I step into the cell.

"Go, go get some rest we need you rested." I say and he looks like he is about to argue but I glare raise my eyebrows at him and he sags into his chair, too tired to argue.

"Alright, I am going." He says with a smile as he gets to his feet,_ foot_, and sorts his crutches. "If she gets hot just wet a cloth and put it on her head and pull the covers down." He looks down at her and sighs. "It is just down to her now; we have just got to hope." He says and I nod and take the seat he has just vacated.

"Ok." I say and he pats my shoulder and walks out stiffly. I turn back to the girl and look her over. She looks terrible, not far off the colour of a Walker the only difference is the slight red tinge to her cheeks. I eye her suspiciously and pull out my knife, _just in case_. I take hold of her wrist and am relieved to feel the flutter of her pulse. Her forehead wrinkles and she groans when I let her go. I stare at her and her jaw clenches and I put my hand back on her and she relaxes when I grip her wrist again. I experimentally lift my hand again and her forehead creases again and I lower it again and hold her wrist. I leave my hand on her wrist as I position myself so I am comfortable.

It's been a long night there really is not much to do in here. I have taken to counting bars on the cell and dots on the ceiling but that is tiresome so I find myself looking at the girl. I am surprised by how much time passes just looking at her face.

She is easy on the eyes despite her looking half dead; I can just imagine how good she'd look healthy. She's got nice long dark hair a small nose and a nice mouth. Her eyes look quite big and when her eyes flick open every now and then I try and catch their colour but it is too fast for me to get a good look. I imagine they are brown though.

I jump nearly out of my seat when she twitches, grips the mattress and groans. Her lips part and she clenches her teeth together. I stare down at her, my knife sitting uselessly beside me, I am about to reach for it when I feel her pulse racing. I freeze and stare down at her and her head rolls from side to side her face contorted in pain. I take her hand and she grips it.

"Damn it!" I hiss as she squeezes my fingers nearly breaking them. Her eyes shoot open at my voice and our eyes meet both wide and startled. She looks confused and I am dumbstruck. _Huh green. Who'd have thunk it? _ She frowns at me and she blinks a few times and I open my mouth to talk but nothing comes out.

"You!" She croaks and she frowns again and her eyes roll back in her head and she passes out. I continue to stare down at her wide eyes and I start when she starts to snore. I try to prize my finger free but she has them in a death grip. I settle back in my chair and notice she has gotten redder so with one hand I place a damp cloth on her forehead and fold down he blankets to help her cool down.

* * *

Shortly after her waking up I start hearing people waking up, I hear the muffled moans of Maggie and Glenn from a few cells down and I shake my head I tap my foot to drown out the noise. I hear then getting up and swap with Carol and Axel who were on watch. I crane around to try and see what is going on but I can't see a thing and when no one comes up to check on her I get a little pissed. _Apparently everyone hasn't changed their minds about her yet. _I scowl at the thought and look down at the sick girl lying there fighting for her life. _I will have to change their minds._

"Hey Daryl, I have been looking for you." Rick says as he walks into the cell, "Should 'a known you would've been here." He adds and I frown. He looks down at our joined hands and a stupid little smile creeps on his face.

"Well nun of you sad sacks were gonna cone sit with her so... here I am." I say snappily and he frowns.

"I was on watch Daryl." He says and I look down at the floor. "How is she?" He asks brushing over the awkward moment. He moves further into the room and I shrug.

"She woke up." I say as I look up at him and his eyes widen.

"Really? That's good right?" He asks and I shrug again.

"Dunno I ain't a doctor." I say and I look back down at her. We are silent for a long while and Rick sits down next to me.

"She is pretty. She's about your age too." He says and I frown at him but he keeps his eyes on her. His eyes slide to our hands and he smiles again and looks at me. He opens his mouth to say something and I cut him off.

"Don't!" I say and he frowns.

"Don't what?" He asks innocently and I roll my eyes and look away feeling a little embarrassed.

"Just don't." I say and he raises his hands in surrender and I look at him side long and I see him smiling. "What do you want Rick?" I ask.

"We need to have a meeting, all of us. We need to decide what we are doing." He says glancing at the girl.

"What do you mean 'doing'? I didn't risk my damn life to get drugs for ya'll to just let her die!" I say angrily.

"Wow there, that's not going to happen. We will get her better."

"Then what?"

"That is what we need to discuss." He says and I scowl. Hershel hobbles into the room and looks straight between me and rick then to my hand that is still in the girls. I stare at him and challenge him to mention it.

"How is she?" He asks and I shrug Rick get up and offer the old man his seat and he talks it.

"I think she is ok she got hot and she woke up." I say and he smiles.

"That's good right?" Rick asks and Hershel nods.

"I hope so." He says and he turns to me. "Did you get her to drink?" He asks and I feel a pang of panic at his words.

"No, should I have?" I ask frowning, "She wasn't awake for long she passed out again quickly."

"It's ok; I will give her some more with her medication today see if she will keep that down. She looks better, don't you think?" Hershel asks hopefully. I look back at her and she does seem to have a little more colour to her and I cannot help but smile.

"Did she say or do anything when she woke up?" Rick asks and I nod.

"She just looked in pain then said 'you'."

"You?" Hershel asks and I nod.

"Yeah that's what a said. She looked at me and said 'you' musta recognised me or summit."

"Maybe?" Hershel says and he puts his hand on my shoulder. "Good job son, you can go now I have got her. They will need you in the meeting."

"What bout you?"

"Rick knows where I stand in the matter, I trust him to put my opinion across."

"And what's yer opinion?" I ask and he squeezes my shoulder.

"I didn't sit in here for four days just to send her out to her death." He says and I nod. I prize my fingers from hers and I clench my fist trying to get some feeling back in them. I notice her forehead scrunching up again.

"I think she is in pain." I say and Hershel looks at her as her jaw tightens.

"I don't doubt it I had to cut into her to remove the glass from her shoulder that gave her the infection but I don't have anything for it." He says in a panicked tone. I grab his hand and place it in hers and she relaxes, I smile down at her and Hershel looks up at me with a smile.

"She just needs something to hold onto." I say and Hershel looks back down at her and smiles.

"That's it Jess, we are here sweetheart." He says and her fingers tighten around his fingers and he smiles. Rick pats my back and I look at him and he is smiling.

"Well done." He says and I nod. I turn and leave the cell. I stretch my aching back and legs and Rick chuckles.

"Stiff?" He asks and I nod.

"You have no idea." I say and he slaps me on the back.

"Come on old man, the others are waiting."

"Old man that's rich coming from you!" I say as I follow him outside.

* * *

_This has been going on forever!_

"...and look she is young and once she is fit again she could be of some use." Rick says as I sit on the bonnet of one of the cars listening to everyone argue.

"I am with Rick here; we need as many people as possible." Michonne cuts in and I watch as people exchange doubtful looks.

"What is wrong with having one more pair of eyes keeping us safe?" Beth asks and nobody answers. She smiles at herself for her valid argument and I wink at her and she smiles wider.

"She may not be trust worthy." Axel says and I scoff loudly making everyone turn to me.

"That's rich comin' form a con." I say and he glares at me and I stare him down. He looks away and at the others. "I have more than proven my loyalty to you lot." He says and I roll my eyes.

"So what we're givin' cons a chance but not a girl?" I say and I spit on the ground.

"I think she should stay." Maggie says shocking everyone including myself. Glenn stares at her shocked and I smile at her.

"Maggie!"

"I am sorry Glenn, but Daryl is right we should at least give her a chance to prove herself. She didn't want to be brought here, we did that. We can't just throw her out and let her be killed." She says and I nod.

"Couldn't have put it better myself." I say and Rick nods.

"She doesn't know anything; I mean for god sake she is afraid of guns." Carol says and everyone stares at her.

"I'll teach her," I say before I realise what I am saying; "I'll um show her the ropes."

"You sure?" Rick asks and I shrug.

"What the hell." I say and he nods and tried to hide that dumb little smile.

"Ok well that is settled so now we vote. Who is against Jess staying?" Rick asks and a few hands rise, Axel, Carol, Glenn and Carl. Rick scowls at the ground when Carl's hand reaches for the sky and I feel bad for him. "Ok so four of you, just to be clear those of you who think she should stay raise your hands." He says and I lift mine along with Rick, Maggie and Beth who lifts Judith's little hand. Rick smiles and Axel smiles.

"The infant doesn't count so that is four on four, now what?" He asks crossing his arms and Rick frowns at him.

"Hershel's vote makes it five four in favour of her staying." Rick says wiping the smile off Axel's stupid face. "So Jess is staying." He says finally and I jump down from the bonnet.

"So just got over it and get back to work." I add as they scowl to themselves I walk back into the prison and back to her cell. Hershel turns when I enter and he smiles at me. "She's stayin'." I say and I glance at her, turn and leave.

"Where're you going?" Hershel calls after me and I smile.

"Huntin'!" I call over my shoulder and I hear him chuckle.

* * *

God I love hunting. The thrill of it and the buzz you get when you take down and animal. Killing Walkers doesn't give you that, you just feel bad as you stick then through the skull and watch them fall to the ground in a heap. They are far from harmless but it just seems wrong killing them.

Now a deer, that's another story. A deer can feed us for days and give is the energy we need to keep fighting for our lives. A deer's death is a useful one. Nothing on this buck will go to waste. I haul the deer into the bed of the truck and close the latch with a big smile on my face. I climb into the cab and sit my crossbow next to me and drive off.

After a day and a half of hunting I see the relieved faces of Glenn and Rick as the gate is opened for me and I smile at Rick's pleased expression as he spots the deer in the truck bed. I park up and slide the deer towards me and throw it over my shoulder.

"Great haul." Rick calls from behind me as I climb the stairs. He rushes up behind me and opens the door for me and I nod my thanks. I walk through the empty mess hall and into the kitchen and slam the deer down on the table.

"Fucker is heavy!" I say twisting my back and stretching.

"How did it go?" Glenn asks as he follows us in.

"Pretty well, there were a few hairy moments but nuthin' I can't handle." I say as I pull my knife out and wipe it on a cloth. "Got a clean bucket or basin?" I ask and Glenn rushes odd and Rick smiles at me.

"Glad to have you back." He says and I nod.

"How's things been?" I ask looking down at my knife pretending to check if it is sharp.

"Jess is fine." He says and I look up at him. "She has been sleeping mostly and she has had a few drinks but she is better, her arm is healing." He says and I nod.

"Good." I say and Glen comes back in with a big metal basin and put's it down in front of me.

"Maggie said you can use this but you have to clean it out after." He says and I nod. I cut into the deer and gut it.

"What you gonna do with all that?" Rick asks and I turn to him.

"Clean it up and it makes for some good eatin." I say and his eyes widen.

"Whatever you say." He says and I smile. I turn back to the deer and smile as I start to skin it. _The girl is__ ok, Jess is ok._


	3. Chapter 3

Damn I feel like crap. I try to move my good arm but it feels heavy. I open my eyes and the light burns it and I groan and close them again. I feel a hand on my wrist and a relieved sigh.

"Hey there Jess, you gave us a real scare there." Hershel says from my side. I open my eyes slowly letting them adjust to the light. I turn my head and my neck feels stiff and very sore. Hershel is looking down at me smiling.

"How long?" I groan and he takes up a cup of water and holds it out to me. I eye it wearily but my body cries out for it so I allow him to hold it to my lips and I take a sip.

"A week. You were pretty far gone." He says and I groan.

"What happened?" I ask moaning as I do a mental check of all my limbs, _yep all still there, that's a relief_.

"You got an infection. I had to cut you open to clean you out properly. There was a tiny piece of glass in the wound making it dirty; the wash clearly didn't catch it. I am sorry."

"You didn't shoot me." I say bitterly and he smiles. "How am I better? I thought it was going to…" I cannot quite say that it was going to kill me.

"I know me too. We got you some drugs." He says and I frown

"From where?" I say sounding as shocked as I felt.

"I am not quite sure but that is not important." He says waving me down.

"Who? Did someone get hurt?" I asked feeling panic rise in my chest. I will not be able to live with myself if someone else dies because of me.

"It is ok calm down no one hot hurt. Everyone is just fine." He says seeing my rising panic. I relax slightly and he pats my good arm. "Now try not to move to much you will open you stitches."

"I have stitches?" I frown looking at my slightly swollen arm.

"Like I said I had to cut into you, couldn't just leave it open could i?"

"Do I hear the delightful sound of a Scottish accent?" Rick says as he walks into the cell. He smiles down at me. "I thought you were a goner." He says and I shake my head.

"Not yet." I say and he smiles down at Hershel.

"Good job Hershel." He says patting the older man on the shoulder.

"It is not me we should ne thanking." He says and I frown.

"If it wasn't for you we would never have got that wound clean Hershel don't sell yourself short.' Rick says and Hershel nods.

"But if it weren't for Daryl and the drugs we would be burying Jess here." He says and my blood runs cold.

"Was it that bad?" I croak and they look at me with grim expressions.

"Yeah I would have said you had half a day if it wasn't for Daryl getting those drugs back so quickly. I frown and I look at the two men and I swallow bile that is rising.

"Is her here?" I ask and they look at each other.

"No he is doing watch." Rick says and I nod. "I can go and relieve him if you …"

"No…" I almost yell and Rick smiles, "… I mean I am sure I will see him. I will thank him then." I say and Rick nods.

"Ok, well now you are awake how about we try you on some food, we have crackers." He suggests and I cannot help but laugh,_ bloody crackers! _ Rick frowns at me then at Hershel who shrugs.

I take a deep breath and shake my head. "Crackers would be great." I say and Rick nods and leaves the room. Hershel looks at me and I smile. "So people don't want me here." I state matter of factly and Hershel sits up straight and raises his eyebrows at my directness.

"Well we are a very tight knit group, we have been through a lot in the last year. It has been hard and we have lots a lot." He says and my eyes dart to his leg and his lips lift in a little smile. "Yes my leg included."

"You were bitten?" I ask and I would blush if I had any blood free to warm my face. "I am sorry that is none of my business."

"It is ok, yes I was bitten and Rick saved my life by cutting the infected area off. He gave me more time with my girls and for that I will forever be in his debt."

"So Rick is in charge around here?" I ask and Hershel nods.

"He is a great man and he has had the weight of the world put on his shoulders and he has stepped up and lead us all." He says and I nod.

"I thought you were in charge." I say with a little smile.

"Oh don't get me wrong when I say he is in charge I do not mean he leads with an I ron fist, we all get a say."

"But he allowed me to stay?" I ask and he nods.

"As did a few of us."

"But others?"

"Some were not so keen, but they all agreed to help you and get you healthy." I frown at his lie, he obviously thinks I was sleeping though the whole ordeal. I heard the whispered conversations and I know some of them wanted me dead.

"Ok," I say and I try another line of questioning, "How many people are here?" I ask.

"We have eleven, twelve including yourself." He says and I nod.

"You have kids here." I say and he nods.

"Carl and Judith yes, they are Rick's children." He says and I frown.

"I thought the girl's name was Beth."

"Oh no Beth is my girl. She is sixteen; she is a young woman now. It is hard to see her as a child any more." Hershel says.

"You said your daughters." I say and he nods.

"Yes Beth and Maggie, you met her outside."

"Ok," I say frowning, "so there is Beth, Maggie and Glenn am I right?" Hershel nods encouragingly. "You and Rick, Daryl, Carol and what was the woman in the cars name?"

"Michonne." Hershel says and I nod.

"Ok Michonne and I don't know any more."

"There is Axel. He was an ex-inmate here. Don't worry he is perfectly safe we wouldn't let the children near him if he wasn't."

"Right." I say feeling thoroughly unconvinced. "And then Rick's kid's Carl, the gun wielding tween and Judith who is what age?" I ask and as if on cue I hear the wailing of a baby. I turn to Hershel and I stare at him feeling like I have just been hit around the face.

"Judith is four months old." He says with a smile. I listen to the baby crying and I cannot help but smile.

"I can't believe it!" I gasp and Hershel nods. "A real baby? I never though I would hear that noise again."

"None of us did." Hershel says and I shake my head in disbelief. The short haired woman comes into the cell holding a cup of water and a few crackers.

"Judith just woke up Rick is seeing to her, he asked me to bring you these." She says actively not looking at me.

"Thank you Maggie." Hershel says taking the things from her. "I was just telling Jess here about our little family." He says and Maggie stops at her door and looks at me.

"Oh right." She says as I sit up shakily.

"She couldn't quite believe her ears when Judith started crying." He goes on and on the mention of Judith's name Maggie's features soften.

"Yeah well she is a miracle." She says and she retreats. I watch as she vanishes around a corner and I recognise her voice as one of the ones who campaigned for me to die and I frown at the food Hershel is offering me.

"You need to eat." He says simply and I take the cracker from him and nibble it. _ A cracker has never tasted so good_. It takes all my will power not to stuff it whole into my mouth.

Hershel sits with me as I eat and sip at the water. When I have finished it all he lies me back down and pulls the covers over me.

"Now rest. I will wake you up for dinner." He says and I am about to protest before the tiredness hits me and I close my eyes.

* * *

I am helped into the food hall later that evening after sleeping for another solid eight hours. "I'm sorry." I keep saying to Hershel who had apparently sat with me the whole time. I keeps waving me down and smiling.

"It is fine Jess, I needed to make sure you are ok. Please stop apologising." He says and I nod.

"Ok well thank you." I say quickly as Rick helps me sit down. He pushes my chair in for me and I am handed a Canister with just rice in it by Michonne and I give her a little smile. She noods once but does not return my smile. Hershel sits next to me and I puck up my spoon and he nods encouragingly to the food.

"If you cannot eat it all don't worry food never goes to waste here, someone will have it." He says and I lift a spoon full to my mouth and eat. It is bland and virtually tastless, it is perfect. Something full of flavour might have upset my stomach.

"So are you feeling better after your sleep?" Rick asks and I nod as I chew. " You looked like hell earlier, you have some colour now." He says and I nod again.

"Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?" Hershel asks and I swallow my mouthful.

"How can I say no you saved my life." I say and he smiles.

"How did you get by?" Rick asks. I look at him and I bite my lips as I consider my answer.

"I just kept quiet, barely ate or drank and well really, I was just waiting to die." I say honestly and the nod.

"You say that you were with others, do you know what happened to them?" Rick asks.

"No," I say as I shake my head, "I just left them." I say and he nods.

"Why'd you leave?"

"Well I didn't trust them, they were reckless. They let children out to face the dead. I watches as a boy got torn to shreds in front of me." I say and Rick's eyes widen and I look down at the table. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said…"

"No, it is fine. I asked." He says with a small tight smile. He rubs the back of his neck and looks around. "I um, I have to go and take watch." He says and Hershel nods and he gets up and stalks off.

"I shouldn't have said that." I say as I watch him walk down the hall.

"Don't worry yourself. It is a touchy subject anyway." Hershel says patting my hand. "Are you done?" He asks looking at my half eaten meal. I nod and he grabs his crutches and pulls himself up. "Will you manage getting down the hall?" He asks and I nod. I get to my feet and I instantly start to tremble. He gives me a sad smile and I walk ahead of him slowly. When I get to my bunk I am exhausted and I slump down and feel the pull f my stitches.

"Damn it." I groan and Hershel is by my side right away.

"Did you rip them? He asks and I shake my head.

"I don't think so." I say touching the bandage gingerly. I look down at it for any bleeding but thankfully it remains white and clean. "I think we are ok." I say and he sits back down.

"Good." He says sounding relieved. My head spins to the doorway as the woman Carol steps into it looking awkward and like she doesn't want to be there. "Ah Carol are you here to take over?"

"Yes." She says looking briefly at me and purposely moving her hand to her holstered gun and drawing my eye. I look up at her and frown, _like I am going anywhere! _I think angrily to myself and I hope my face shows that she is being damn ridiculous. She must notice as she looks away and back at Hershel who is trying not to smile.

"Well I will be off then I will see you tomorrow Jess," He says standing up he gives Carol a smile, "Good night Carol." He says as she sits down outside the cell. I watch he fiddling with her gun for a while until I am sure she is not going to shoot me by accident and I let myself sleep.

* * *

Four days, that's how long I was confined to my cell with a permanent guard. Everyone even Carl has a hot of making sure I don't try to escape. By the fourth day I have got some of my former strength back and I am feeling almost one hundred percent and for that I am glad. I was never good at feeling unwell, I always felt sorry for myself and this was no acceptation. In fact in this instance coming close to death and being under constant supervision has really worn me down. I was starting to get cabin fever before Hershel suggested I should be allowed outside to get some fresh air. After a long and rather loud argument, one I was hard pushed to ignore, I was allowed to have a walk.

My legs are still a little wobbly and I take my time as I descend the stairs into the courtyard. I breathe in deeply filling my lungs with clean fresh air, not the musty air from inside the prison. I actually feel the cool air enter my lungs and feel it rush around my body. I stop and close my eyes and smile.

"I'll be that feels nice." Rick says from my side. I open my eyes and look round at him and smile.

"You have no idea." I say and he smiles.

"Good I am glad. It was killing me having you cooped up in there."

"It's ok I get it people don't trust me." I say and he looks embarrassed. "Its fine I don't blame them." I add quickly. "I don't want to be a problem. I am healing quite well so I will e going soon." I say and he frowns.

"You know you really don't have to do that, there is more than enough room here. People will warm to you. You seem harmless; I mean you are scared of guns so I don't see any immediate danger." He says and I frown.

"How'd you know I was..."

"Jess you are always so twitchy when someone brings theirs out." He says with a chuckle. "I don't blame you, you are just not used to them, and I get it." He says and I nod.

"I have just never been around them." I eyes his impressive gun he has holstered and he unclips it hand holds it out to me. I step back like he was holding out a giant spider and look up at him.

"Just hold it; I take no pleasure in saying that this is something you will have to get used to." He says and I lift my hand up to take his gun and he puts it in my hand. My eyes widen at the realisation of what I am holding. Something that can save my life but so easily snuff out someone else's life, I weigh it in my hand and he chuckles.

"It is heavier than I thought." I say and he nods.

"There are much lighters ones but this one, well she is my baby." He says fondly looking at the gun. I look up at him with a frown. "Sounds weird I suppose but this gun has saved my life countless times; I would be lost without it." He explains and I nod and hand it back to him and he holsters it. "So would you like a tour of outside?" I nod and he walks a head of me and I follow him closely.

He show's me the blocked off unsafe areas. "We have swept them multiple times but the walkers still seem to get in somewhere, but don't worry they cannot get us in here." He says noticing my alarm. He takes me to the fence line where some dead are wandering around.

"Do they not cause problems?" I ask and he shrugs.

"Sometimes but these fences are pretty sturdy and we have ways for getting rid of them without causing to much noise." He says and I nod. I notice a pile of bloody metal poles lying on the ground and Rick looks at them too. "Quiet and effective." He explains and I nod.

"I used bats and a knife." I say and he looks at me and nods.

"Yeah Daryl was saying that he found a pile of bats in your room." He says and I nod.

"I spent ages collecting them," I sigh at the memory of collecting the bats and feel a sense of loss of my hard fought haul. "I hope they are still there when I get back." I say and Rick walks on and I follow him.

"We have two watch posts, one on the east and one on the west." He says pointing to each of them. I notice a few people on each of the towers and they are carrying huge powerful looking guns. "They are there to alert us if a large group of walkers come or if anyone else comes who is not welcome." Rick says and I nod.

""Have you had any trouble from other people?" I ask and he nods.

"A little yes, people are unpredictable." He says and I nod.

"I know." I say and he gives me a small smile. "I have had my fair share of run-ins with some shady people." I say and he frowns.

"Sorry to hear that." He says and I shrug. "I hope we don't fall under the shady category." He says and I laugh.

"No, you guys are fine, great even. Even though half of you wanted me to die." I say and I cover my mouth and his eyes widen. "Sorry!" I say through my hand.

"You heard what was said?" He asks looking mortified I nod and he kicks at the dirt. "Damn it, I am sorry. Everyone was just so wound up." He says and I nod.

"It is ok. I get it people were worried."

"Ahh, I wish that were the only reason." He says looking at me side long and then back at the ground. I stare at him and I cross my arms across my stomach. "People have changed since the beginning. They used to be compassionate and kind now... now they are cold and..." he sighs and runs his hands through his hair, "They just are not the same. It really kills me to see." He says and I nod. I step towards him and lift my hand and hesitate before I put it on his arm. He starts but looks at me.

"It is ok; trust me I am not the same person I used to be either. I had never even been in a fight before this started and now I am bashing things brains in for a box of stale crackers." I give him a little smile and he nods. "Everyone has changed. Just be glad it is not into one of them." I say pointing to the dead walking around outside.

"You are right." He says and he pats my shoulder and looks over my head and smiles. "We have a plan if you are willing to do it?" He says and I spin around when I hear the crunch of gravel. Daryl and Carol are there and he is holding a black bag and a curious expression. I look at the bag suspiciously and it clunks as he hitches it up on his shoulder.

"What's in the bag?" I ask my voice quivering slightly with dread and fear. Rick put his hand between my shoulder blades and looks down at me.

"We are doing some practice." He says and he leads me towards a wide open grassy area and stops. I notice down the other end of the field is some bottles and cans lined up and realisation strikes me.

"Oh no, no way!" I say backing up and bumping into something solid. I spin around and Daryl drops the bag.

* * *

"I cannot believe you are making me do this." I say as I grip a small hand gun in my two hands.

"We didn't make you." Rick says and I glare at him.

"You didn't give me much of a choice either though." I say and he smiles.

"Trust me it will benefit us all, having someone here who doesn't know their way around a gun makes me nervous." He says and I roll my eyes. I look over to Daryl who is helping Carol rebuild her gun after taking it apart. I incline my head towards him and Rick smiles.

"What about Robin Hood over there?" I say and Daryl's head snaps up and he squints at me. I look away embarrassed that he heard me.

"Well "Robin" can handle himself." Rick says and as if to prove a point Daryl shoots and arrow at a can and it flies off the boxes. He gives me a cocky smile and walks off to retrieve his arrow. I look at Carol who is looking at Daryl and then at Rick who is shaking his head. I watch as Daryl walks back towards us and when he is out of the way I raise the gun up trying to ignore y aching arm.

"So point and shoot right?" I say and Rick nods.

"Aiming is a big part of if too." He says with a chuckle. "Remember just squeeze the trigger slow and watch the kick." He says and I nod. I look down at the barrel of the gun and take a deep breath. I feel my hands shaking and I squeeze the trigger and the sound stabs at my ear drums making me close my eyes. The gun certainly does kick and I struggle to keep it right. I open one eye and look at the bottle I was aiming for and sigh when it is still standing.

"Damn it!" I say and the others laugh. I scowl at the ground and Rick pats my shoulder and I look up at him.

"That was..."

"Terrible!" Daryl cuts in and I scowl at him.

"I have never done this before! I have never even held a gun before today." I say and he shrugs.

"How'd you expect to hit anything if your damn eyes are closed?" He says getting up from the ground and leaving Carol to assemble her gun. She looks a little disgruntled.

"It was loud; I can't help what my body does." I retort and he huffs.

"Well who else can if you can't?" He asks crossing his arms and squinting at me. I open my mouth to reply but I have nothing. "Do it again and remember guns are loud." I glare at him and I look at Rick and he nods encouragingly. I lift my arms up again and point at the bottle. I start when a pair of arms wrap around me and take hold of my hands. I turn my head and Daryl looks down at me. "Focus." He says gruffly and I swallow and turn back to the bottle. His hands cup mine and steady my aim. "Grip the gun tighter." He says against my ear and I try not to shiver as his warm breath tickles my face. I see Carol getting up and storming off. I watch as she walks away and Daryl shakes me. "Look at where you are aiming and pull the trigger." He says and I turn back and nod. I squeeze the trigger and although the sound rings through my body I keep my eyes open and watch as the bottle explodes. I laugh and Daryl lets me go and I turn to him.

"I did it." I say happily looking at him and then Rick.

"Well done." He says and I smile.

"Now try it without me helping." Daryl says and I nod. I lift the gun grip it, aim and shoot. I miss.

"Shit!" I groan and Daryl chuckles.

"You'll get it rookie." He says and he gathers up his things from the ground and packs them away.

"Thanks." I say and he nods before he walks off.

"You want to try again?" Rick asks pulling me out of my daze.

"Yes, yes I do." I say and he smiles.

"We will make a marksman out of you yet."

* * *

"How is your arm feeling?" Hershel asks as he removes my stitches. It is the first time I have got to look at the wound since he had to cut me open and it is quite impressive. It is large and ragged and is going to leave an impressive scar.

"It is ok a little tender still but not as sore as it was." I say wincing as he pulls a particularly stubborn stitch free. He wipes the little droplets of blood from the holes and smiles happily at it.

"I am glad, I'm sorry about the scar it was bigger than I intended it to be." He says and I shrug.

"Hey what's one more scar eh? It'll be a good story to tell." I say and he chuckles. "Now what?" I ask and he frowns.

"What do you mean?" He asks sounding confused.

"Now what happens with me? Will I be free to leave?" I ask and he frowns deeper.

"You still want to leave?" He asks sounding confused. I shrug.

"I didn't know I still had the option." I say and he shakes his head.

"I am certain what we said before still stands. You can stay if you still want to." He says and I nod. "I will go and talk to Rick." He says getting up.

"Ok." I say and he pats my shoulder and hobbles out. I sit back on my bed and realise for the first time that I don't have someone sitting outside my room. I get up and peek my head out of the door. People are milling around but none of them pay me any attention. I walk out of the cell wanting to test my new found freedom and I walk through the food hall and I spot Maggie and Glenn preparing dinner and they look at me and I nod and they lower their gaze back to what they were doing. I see Michonne cleaning some clothes and she nods her head at me and I return it. I step out of the prison and stand on the steps that lead to the courtyard waiting to be told to get back inside. I give it almost a minute and when Beth passes me and says nothing other than, "Hello." I make my way down the stairs. I walk slowly through the courtyard fully aware that the people on the towers with the high powered rifles can see me and if I move to fast they may shoot me. So I slowly walk down the court yard towards the fences and walk along them. It is nice being able to stretch my legs; my legs ache to run and to be pushed to the limit. Having been immobile for so long they are restless but running would be a terrible idea I think as I look up at the tower to my left. I see the movement of the person on the tower and it looks like it is Carol and Axel in that one. Neither of them seems to like me very much and I definitely don't want to give them a reason to shoot me so I wave to them to let them know I see them and I do not intend on doing anything stupid. They look away from me and I sigh with relief. I jump when the fence next to me rattles and one of the dead groans at me and he starts to chew on the fence. I step back and watch as it tries to get to me. It is disgusting, I have never really had a chance to look at one for this long before and I edge closer and he rumbles loudly. I look over his rotting face when his lips are missing and most of one cheek. His chest is exposed and his insides are close to spilling out. He smells and as the wind catches his scent it wafts it up my nose making me gag. The noise excited him and he rattles the fence excitedly.

"You are an ugly bastard aren't you?" I say and he groans and I see a few more walking towards me. I look around the floor and I spot a long metal rod and pick it up weighing it in my hands. I look him over and spot on his hand he has a wedding ring and I look at his face again.

"I hear you want to leave?" A voice says startling me and I twist around and Daryl is walking towards me hoisting his cross bow over his shoulder.

"I... I never said..."

"Hershel said you were asking to go." He says interrupting me. I frown at him.

"I never said that. I said what now? Am I free to go?"

"So you do want to go?" He says and I frown.

"I didn't know if I had the choice to stay. I am still not sure I want to." I say he frowns.

"Why not? You were out there on your own in a town swarming in walkers."

"It was only swarming in walkers after you drove through there on tat damn bike!" I retort and his eyebrows twitch upwards as I step towards him. "I was fine where I was I was safe until you came along and ruined it."

"Ruined it?" He scoffs and he steps nearer me I hold my ground but fear shoots through me. "Look you were hidden away and alone barely surviving and walkers were right outside your door and I bet you didn't even know. You would have been pounced on the next time you left that room. I did you a favour."

"A favour? It is because of you and that kid that I got shot!" I say and he looks at me with a shocked expression.

"Well you are alive right?" He says and I nod.

"Just." I say and his stare falters. "Look I haven't said thank you for getting those drugs so, thank you." I say and he frowns.

"I thought you were shouting at me?" He says and I sigh.

"I can have conflicting emotions you know. I am still pissed but grateful." I say crossing my arms and he frowns at me and mutters something like "Women". I frown at him and he chuckles.

"I don't think you should go it alone. That is all I wanted to say. I know what it is like to be alone out there and trust me it is a million times better here with people to watch your back." He says and I nod. He walks over to the fence and pulls out a huge knife and shoves it into the head of the male dead I was looking at. "The people here are good people. Just give them a chance." He walks off cleaning his Knife and I stare after him. I sit down and cross my legs leaning against the inside fence and look out. I look to the tree line and to what may be out there. I already know the answer, nothing. I look back at the prison and sigh,_ at least here I will have some people to talk to and only a handful of people want me dead. That's better than every soul outside of this fence._ I get up and walk back towards the prison shoving my hands in my pockets.

* * *

As I enter the food hall I freeze when I see that everyone is there, they all look up at me and I chew my lip nervously.

"Come in Jess, we have come to a decision." Rick says and my eyes shoot to Daryl who is looking at me a small smile on his lips. I look at the others and I feel relief flood through me when I see that Hershel is also smiling.

"Right?" I say and Rick looks around the group and then back at me.

"We would like it if you stayed." He says and I feel relief flooding through me. "You of course have the option to leave if you want to we can take you back but you are more than welcome to stay here." I look around the group and see a few disappointed faces.

"So what do you say Jess? Are you going to stay?" Hershel says and Beth looks up at me from his side. I blink still totally unsure about what to do but when I look over at Daryl I nod. He smiles and looks down at the floor and I look away.

"Yes, I would like to stay. For as long as you will allow it." I say and Rick Hershel and to my surprise Michonne smile.

"Good I am glad that is settled, now we can all just get on." Rick says to the group. They all move to get up and I step to the side as Axel and Carol pass me on their way back out to the towers. I turn to face Daryl as he sops next to me.

"You're with me, we have watch on the west tower." He says and I frown.

"You guys knew I would say yes?" I ask and he shrugs.

"They guessed." He says and he opens the door for me. "Comin'?" He says and I roll my eyes and duck under his arm and out into the courtyard. He leads me to the tower at the other end of the compound and climbs up the ladders. I follow pulling myself up wincing as the muscles tug on my arm. I am panting as I near the top and I stop at the top when he offers me a hand. I look up at him and he rolls his eyes. "Gimme your hand." He says with a sigh and I offer him my good arm and he helps me up the rest of the way.

"Thank you." I say as I pull myself up and look at him, he nods.

"S'fine." He grumbles and I look down at our joined hands and he drops it like I burned him. "Sorry." He mutters. I smile and bite my lip trying to to laugh as he turns away his face flaming red.

"So what do we do here?" I ask and he sits down making sure he has a clear view of the tree line.

"We watch." He says and I laugh. He looks up at me frowning. I sit down and his eyes follow me.

"For what exactly? The dead are all over the place." I say looking out to the fields surrounding us and at the dead who are wandering around.

"We are looking for large groups or people who might wander towards here." He says and I nod.

"So what do we do if we see that?" I ask.

"We tell the others if there is a swarm and I if we see people we investigate." He says and I nod.

"If there is a large group what do you do? Do you try and kill them?" He nods.

"Yep we try to kill as many as we can." He says.

"How do you do that?" I ask and he turns to me and frowns.

"Fulla questions aren't you?" he says and I shrug.

"I have only had myself to tak to for a month and if I am staying I would like to know what the deal is around here." I say and he smiles.

"I ain't really one for talkin'" He says and I snort with laughter.

"Could have fooled me." I say and his lips twitch.

"well I normally aint." He says and I smile.

"I'm honoured." I say with a smile and I swear he blushes a little through the dirt and grime on his face. I give him a little smile and press on, "So are you going to tell me what happens around here or will I have to ask one of the ones who still want to shoot me?" He frowns at my poor attempt of a joke but sighs.

"Fine, what ya wanna know?"

**I hope you are all enjoying the story so far. I am looking forward to exploring the characters more. Stay tuned. Xx**


End file.
